swimming lesson

[dieMuttivonBifi]

Hello everyone! I need training advice.

Summer is about to kick in and i want to be able to bring my pup to lakes and beaches and enjoy the water with us. My question is how does one train a puppy to play in the water? My plan is to buy him a swim vest but that would be futile if he's scared to even touch the water. He'll arrive in 2 weeks and his name is Bifi (beef-ii, it's a brand of a mini salami :D). I want him to enjoy swimming and playing in the water like Bogey in the video .

Thank you everyone! Tips and advice are greatly appreciated!

 

[LariP]

I have no advice, but I tagged dubbiedog because she has the only bully I know who actually swims on a regular basis. I think just having a social puppy who gets introduced to new experiences would get you most of the way there.
HRH would hate going to the beach. too much noise and things to be afraid of. But Amy on the other hand would probably jump in the surf first chance she got. They have completely different personalities.

 

[cali baker]

I don't have good advice either but I'll tag another member, [MENTION=2014]JeannieCO[/MENTION], cuz they go boating often and she may have some words of wisdom. Unfortunately, Tate hates the water--he runs when I turn the hose on to water the plants. Finn loves running thru the sprinklers though but he's not fond of the beach--too scary for both of them!

 

[Dubbiedog]

I have no advice, but I tagged dubbiedog because she has the only bully I know who actually swims on a regular basis. I think just having a social puppy who gets introduced to new experiences would get you most of the way there.
HRH would hate going to the beach. too much noise and things to be afraid of. But Amy on the other hand would probably jump in the surf first chance she got. They have completely different personalities.

Hi guys have not been on here for sooooo long but how could I not respond to [MENTION=983]LariP[/MENTION] :D Long story but I do want to [MENTION=8944]bullymomwannabe[/MENTION] and the swimming thing. Living in Florida and having a pool was a concern of ours before we brought home our bullie "Dublin" and of course we heard how bullies don't swim. We decided that we had to at least try. Our approach was to be in the water ourselves with Dublin at the edge of the pool and see her reaction. She wanted to be with us so the water was a barrier of sorts to her. We did this over and over until we could see that she didn't have a fear of the water. We then gingerly placed her on a sturdy floaty and pushed it around the pool with her on it. At first she wasn't too sure but then started lapping the water and getting her paws wet and finally sitting and relaxing ( took a while for this) Okay, we had her where sitting on top of the water was good but what next? My husband held her very secure in his arms and walked her around the pool with her paws touching the water ( again this took numerous trips into the pool) Next step was to put her legs and tummy in the water and see what she would do ( all the time holding onto her) We could see that she knew how to paddle. Long story short he took her a short distance from the steps and I sat on the edge. She swam right too me. I do have to point out that she doesn't like to swim at all but it was more a safety issue for her in that if for some awful reason she fell in that she could make it to the steps. We NEVER leave our dogs by the pool alone...We are avid boaters so that was the next step. she loves going on the boat and is the first one on the bow when we pull up on the beach and first one in the water. she doesn't want to swim but loves to sit or stand or walk in the water. I believe the success here was doing it when she was a puppy and being consistent. On the other hand we have our rescue "Tio" He came to us at the age of two and will not go near the water. He is curious when you are in the pool but that is as far as it goes. He loves to go everywhere with us so he loves being on the boat but not in the water. We have come to accept that and as long as he is not afraid to be around the water then that is fine. Putting a life vest on him early even before you introduce him to the water will help a great deal with his comfort level of having something on him. Good luck and have fun..P.S. A big hi to all my friends on EBN

 

[LariP]

[MENTION=4786]Dubbiedog[/MENTION], I know you have been busy, but you were also the first one I thought of for this. Thanks for coming in and helping. Oh and we miss you too! Oh and have you been in since we got Amelia?

 

[Dubbiedog]

[MENTION=4786]Dubbiedog[/MENTION], I know you have been busy, but you were also the first one I thought of for this. Thanks for coming in and helping. Oh and we miss you too! Oh and have you been in since we got Amelia?

Oh dear, I am so out of the loop. AMELIA?

 

[JeannieCO]

[MENTION=4786]Dubbiedog[/MENTION] So good to see you! too!!!! You have a really good advice from Ann.

If you plan on being at the lake and your bully will be near the water I would personally invest in a jacket, especially if he's just wandering around the shoreline. The edge could drop off quite suddenly and in goes your bully. Wilson has fallen off a 2 foot section and ended up going in head first as he was walking along the edge. Had he not had his jacket on he would have gone straight down to the bottom. Wilson can swim with his jacket on but he really hates it, she's a shoreline type of bully. Emma, well she's a natural but she also has her jacket on at all times when were near the water. She loves to go in an swims her heart out. Her first time she wasn't too sure so I placed her in the water a few feet out and she'd swim straight bad and was a bit scared as it was new to her. When we take her to the shoreline now we can't get her out. She keeps her head up above the water really well too. Wilson not so much, he's quite top heavy. You'll know pretty quite weather they're going to the type that wants to be in the water or the type that wants to explore and only get their paws wet. But in either case, get a life jacket, you will not regret doing so.

 

[dieMuttivonBifi]

Thank you very much everyone!!! since we're living in an apartment guess i'll start his swimming lesson in a portable pool. I'll be happy even if he just stays at the edge of the water when we go visit a lake. and yup a vest is already in my wish list :D.

Thank you again!

 

[Davidh]

Just remember they over heat quickly, so have an air conditioned place for him to cool off. heat can kill a bully very quick.

 

[dieMuttivonBifi]

Just remember they over heat quickly, so have an air conditioned place for him to cool off. heat can kill a bully very quick.

--- yup! Thank you i will .

 

[Jennifer Clark]

Mine loves water he especially loves the creek next to my parents house because he can wade as deep as he wants and can swim if he wants he loves to follow me out and its quite shady where he goes in at as well as being able to go directly into the house afterwards he is ok with going into our pool as long as he stays close to the steps and has his swim vest on.

Love has a name and its name is Sheldon!!!